This article was originally published on JustStarz
The Duggar clan changed the face of reality television as we knew it when they made their 2008 debut on 17 Kids and Counting, which later turned into 18 Kids and, ultimately, 19 Kids and Counting. And while most reality shows are forced to script scenes to spice things up, that was never the case with this TLC series. On the screen and even when the cameras stopped rolling, Jim Bob, Michelle, and the rest of the family's lives were filled with weird rules and surprising revelations. So we've put together some of their most memorable moments from when we first met them up until now.
No Pants Allowed for the Girls
The Duggar parents are pretty conservative, so the fact that they want their children to wear modest clothing isn't that surprising. For their daughters, this includes wearing only skirts or dresses, no pants. The rule takes place both outside and inside their home. And as their daughters have grown up, moved out, and started their own families, some of them have decided to rebel against this rule they once had no choice but to abide by.
When they become adults and move out of the house, they can wear whatever they want, but it's reported that it has led to some tensions between the grown kids and their parents.
Jill Sued Her Dad for Keeping All the Kids' Money From Filming
It seems like there is a lot of bad blood between Jill Duggar and her father, Jim Bob. Things got so bad, in fact, that Jill brought a lawsuit against her father. She sued Jim Bob, claiming that he kept for himself the money that was supposed to be given to the kids for being in the show. She went on to win her case, but reports stated that she didn't get much money from the lawsuit win.
Jim Bob has said in the past that he considered the family's time on the show as mostly a duty, so that might be why he thought it justified to withhold some of the money.
Michelle and Jim Teach Their Kids How to Kiss Using In-Person Demonstrations
Videos recently resurfaced of Michelle and Jim Bob teaching their daughter how to kiss. Because the Duggar parents are so conservative, they strictly forbid their children from kissing before marriage. So, how do they learn how to kiss before the big day? Well, apparently, by watching mom and dad go at it first. In the clip, Jim Bob and Michelle can be seen with their daughter Jesse and her fiance.
The parents were giving them marriage advice when Jim Bob suddenly suggested he teach them how to kiss. And then, the two parents begin to smooch in front of the couple.
Sisters and Brothers Aren't Allowed to Play Together
That's right, in the Duggar household, sisters and brothers aren't allowed to play together. Admittedly, the average brothers and sisters do nothing but fight most of the time anyway, but apparently, that's not the reason behind the rule. The parents' reasoning for the separation is that boys and girls don't play well together, as they each want to do different things and play with different types of toys.
But once it was revealed in 2015 that Josh Duggar had done some pretty heinous acts involving his siblings, so some fans began to suspect that Jim Bob and Michelle were scared that the same thing might happen again and therefore enacted this rule.
The Duggars Allegedly Refused to Help Deliver a Baby Conceived Out of Wedlock
The Duggar parents adhere to a pretty conservative sect of Christianity, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that they don't support intimacy before marriage. One of their daughters, Jill Duggar, was set to help a friend give birth to a child (for context, Jill went on to become a midwife), but when the parents found out that the child was conceived out of wedlock, they allegedly put a stop to it.
The kicker is that the friend who was set to give birth was actually Josh Duggar's sister-in-law. As you might imagine, the sister-in-law doesn't really speak to the family anymore.
Josh Duggar Behaved Inappropriately Towards His Siblings
Throughout the show, the Duggar parents tried to build a reputation of being a pristine, church-going family. However, in 2015, news revealed that one of the siblings, Josh Duggar, had been charged with a pretty heinous crime some 15 years earlier. We won't get into the details here, but the offense also involved some of Josh Duggar's sisters in a case the parents probably thought was behind them forever.
Eventually, more accusations came to light involving Josh Duggar, and he was convicted and sentenced to around 12 years in prison. But we'll get more into that later.
Their Charity Volunteering Was Reportedly Just for the Cameras
It's pretty common knowledge that most reality T.V. shows set up and script scenes entirely for the camera. And apparently, sometimes, the Duggars were no exception. They were once recorded giving out food to less fortunate families at the Compassion Center in their home state. However, some people later said that producers were seen coaching the families receiving the food and telling them to act thankful for the camera.
Some people also reported seeing the Duggar family load boxes filled with food back into their car after volunteering rather than leaving it there for needy families.
Mom's Advice: Stay in the Kitchen and Don't Talk Back to Your Husband
This might come as a surprise to some, but Jim Bob actually doesn't play a huge role when it comes to making decisions regarding the women in the Duggar household. That responsibility falls on Michelle. So what kind of advice does the mom-of-twenty give to her daughters? Reportedly, she tells them things like stay in the kitchen, never leave their husband, and never talk back. "A husband needs a wife who will accept him as a leader," she once said.
The Duggar daughters are encouraged to stick with their husbands no matter what they do because, as Michelle said, husbands have "God-Given responsibilities."
That Time Jinger Duggar and Her Husband Allegedly Scammed Their Online Store's Customers
At this point, you should just automatically assume that any business or charity involved with the Duggar family has the potential to be a bit sketchy. That was reportedly the case when Jinger Duggar and her husband, Jeremy, decided to open an online store together. The store was called Hope & Stead, and it sold things like branded hats and candles. Or did it? Many of their customers allegedly reported never receiving the merchandise they ordered.
Others reported receiving items that were damaged during shipping. And pretty much everyone reported not receiving responses to their complaints when they messaged the store directly. The store was then shut down without much warning.
They Think Dancing Is for the Devil
You might expect conservative parents to be totally against any kind of premarital intimacy, but what about dancing? Well, apparently, dancing is for the devil, and the Duggar children aren't allowed to dance because it can lead to other things. And not just dancing with strangers - they're not allowed to dance with their siblings, either. But they are allowed to listen to (some) music and even make music of their own.
That said, the children are allowed to dance after they're grown and married, and some of them have chosen to let their children dance, too.
Mom and Dad Come on All of the First Dates
Sure, some first dates can be great. But, let's face it, most of them can be extremely awkward, especially when you're younger. And you know what makes them even more uncomfortable? When your mom and dad tag along to scope out the potential boyfriend. That's right; the Duggar parents tag along to their daughters' first dates to make sure their kids aren't breaking any of their rules. The guy is also expected to pay for the Duggar parents.
We can't imagine how awkward that must be. But we guess it's a good way to filter out any bad eggs trying to make their way into the Duggar family!
A Crew Member Allegedly Had to Be Transferred Shows After Michelle Duggar Learned He Was Gay
Although this was never proven beyond a doubt, fans can't help but think it's more than likely true, especially considering the Duggar's other religious and conservative views. Michelle Duggar allegedly discovered that one of the crew members working with the family was gay, and it upset her so much that TLC reportedly removed the person from the crew and placed him with another one of the network's shows.
The network also allegedly paid the guy a lot of money not to go public with what happened. If it is true, we hope he got a really hefty payday for having to deal with all of that.
Josh Duggar's Alleged Affair
This spicy controversy erupted shortly after the large Ashley Madison breach. And for those that aren't aware, Ashley Madison is a website for those looking to have extramarital affairs. When their info got leaked, it came out that Josh Duggar had an affair with Danica Dillion, an adult actress. She then accused Josh of crossing the line when the two were involved together. She said that he did stuff the two didn't agree upon, and she even went as far as to file a lawsuit against him.
She also said that she was legitimately scared during their encounter. She eventually dropped her lawsuit but never refuted her claim as to what happened when they met up.
The Duggar Parents Reportedly Maintain Discipline With "the Rod"
It's hard for most parents to continually maintain discipline for one child, much less 20. However, according to unsealed police reports, the Duggar parents had a secret weapon when it came to maintaining discipline in their household. Jim Bob used something called "the rod" to scare his children straight. Apparently, this wasn't just some old switch or flimsy branch he'd make the children go grab off a tree outside.
This was a full-on rod made out of wood, according to the released police reports. This surprised many viewers and fans of the show when it came out.
Jed Duggar Allegedly Ran for Office With Illegal Funding
Jed Duggar decided that he'd follow in his father's footsteps when he decided to run for office in the state of Arkansas. However, his run didn't get off to a great start. During the campaign, news broke that his campaign might've accepted donations that exceeded the legal limit. A single donor gave his campaign two large donations, which ended up going over the legal limit in the state of Arkansas.
He eventually ended up losing the race, despite outspending his opponent and accepting an illegal contribution that was more than triple the maximum limit. He was also hit with a hefty fine.
Jim Bob Didn't Let His 31-Year-Old Daughter Hang Out With Her Best Friend
It's no secret that the Duggar father and mother are pretty protective when it comes to their children. Yet sometimes, news breaks out that still manages to surprise viewers. One report alleged that Jim Bob kept his daughter, Jana, from seeing her best friend too much. That might not sound like a big deal at first until you consider the fact that Jana was 31 when she was given the order.
Some speculated that Jim Bob thought Jana and her friend were gay, but there's just no way to know. It's also been reported that Jim Bob monitors his children's telephone records.
Dad and Mom Used Aggressive "blanket Training" on Kids
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar were known to run a tight household. It was so tight that many of their parenting methods often came under scrutiny. There was one method they allegedly used, called blanket training, that landed them in the hot seat when some fans heard about it. The "training" involved putting a baby on a blanket and then smacking it whenever it tried to crawl off the blanket.
As to what this training was actually supposed to accomplish, we're not sure. But many of the siblings have since come out and said that they do not support such acts.
The Duggar Parents Monitor Their Adult Kids' Texts With Their Spouses
By this point, you probably get how involved the Duggar parents can be in their children's lives. But that doesn't mean there aren't plenty more ways they insert themselves into their children's lives that we have yet to discuss. For example, they make their kids, and their kids' partners add them to a group chat so that they can send and monitor messages. And yes, this applies to adult children.
Honestly, that sounds like a lot of work. Can you imagine having 20 different group chats with each of your children and their spouses?
Anna Duggar Thinks Apple Is Using Siri to Undermine the Government
Let's face it, most of us have at least one person we know who just seems to be really susceptible to conspiracy theories for whatever reason. For the Duggar family, that person seems to be Anna Duggar. She posted a video online explaining how when she asked Apple's Siri about President Joe Biden's age, it responded with the age of Vice President Kamala Harris. Most of us might just chalk that up to Siri being useless.
Not Anna Duggar, though. She voiced her opinion that Apple was trying to undermine the government with Siri. That's an interesting one we'd never heard before.
Joy-Anna Duggar and Her Husband's Reportedly Fraudulent House-Flipping Business
This one involves Joy-Anna Duggar and her husband, Austin Forsyth. Her husband ran a house flipping business, but he was sued when one homebuyer claimed that he didn't have the paperwork for a septic tank that was installed on the property. Before this, the septic tank had exploded, and they'd hired someone to investigate the incident. The investigator found that it'd be $20,000 for a fix since the tank was installed on land that wasn't suitable.
Forsyth eventually settled the lawsuit and avoided having to go to court over it. It also did appear to most that he was at fault and that settling was the best option.
Josh Duggar Will Be Spending the Near Future in Prison
Josh Duggar has a pretty dark record, but his latest run-in with the law might have been one of his last. He was arrested and charged with having illicit material relating to children. You can search and find the details pretty easily online if you like, but he was sentenced in 2021 to a little more than 12 years in prison. And recently, his sentence was extended by 2.5 months.
When he was first arrested and released on bail, Jim Bob built a fence around their compound because he was reportedly worried for Josh Duggar's life. Some siblings have accused their father of being too protective of Josh.
The Duggars Have a List of Banned Books
The Duggar parents apparently controlled what their children were allowed to read and what they weren't. Publicly, this only extended to romance novels, as one of the Duggar parents once said that if you want to read a powerful love story, then look no further than the bible. However, the Duggar parents also homeschooled their children, and we can't help but wonder what books they were reading for classes.
We can't be sure, but we imagine that any books with "explicit" material were probably not included in the reading material.
Jill and Derick's Church Allegedly Refused to Raise Money for Their Non-Profit
Although they were never charged and convicted, Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick Dillard, raised suspicion around their charity once when their church refused to help raise more money. The funds were meant to be used for mission trips to El Salvador, and it was far from the only suspicious charity effort involving the Duggar family. After the controversy, the two dissolved their charity, which was called Dillard Family Ministries.
Fans later realized that the charity was never listed with the IRS as a charitable organization in the first place, so that tipped some people off long before all of it made headlines.
Before Becoming a Reality Star, Jim Bob Was a Politician
When the Duggar family show aired, Jim Bob was working as a realtor. However, he'd actually had a former career as a state politician. He was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives at one point in time. He also ran for a U.S. Senate seat. But that was where his political career ended, and he went into reality afterward. He's not the first or the last to dive into both reality TV and politics.
We're sure a lot of the voters in the state of Arkansas were pretty surprised when they learned about the inner workings of Jim Bob's life when the show aired years later.
Duggar Daughter's Premarital Relationship
Honestly, in most other families, this wouldn't be that big of a deal. However, seeing as how the Duggar parents pride themselves publicly on displaying conservative Christian values, it is. The Hollywood Gossip reported that Joy-Anna Duggar kissed her boyfriend and maybe did more before she married her husband, Forsyth. Of course, this can never be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, and most people probably wouldn't care anyway.
However, their first child was born nine months after their wedding, which only made these reports seem more reliable to those following the families' latest updates.
The Couples Monitor Each Other's Social Media Accounts
While the Duggar children who have moved out have left some of their parents' traditions behind, they have continued some other practices. For example, monitoring social media. Jinger Duggar Vuolo and her husband, Jeremy, raised some eyebrows when they admitted that they both monitored each other's social media accounts. Jeremy even admitted once that all of his accounts were only accessible through Jinger's phone. The two would also monitor who they were calling and texting.
Surprisingly, the couple also spoke out openly about each other's bad habits to the media. We take our hats off to them for being so open.
Jill's Hubby Got Kicked off the Show Because of Transphobic Comments
Many viewers of the show weren't too surprised when this hit the headlines. Jill's husband, Derick Dillard, once made transphobic comments about a personality on another TLC show, and this ended up getting him fired. His wife quit the show not long after that, but this really shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. Dillard tried citing his faith as the reason he spoke out, but that didn't get him back on the show.
The real surprise here was that the show's producers were actually willing to fire him, but maybe that only happened because he referenced another personality on TLC.
Josh Duggar Was Allegedly Involved in Illegal Real Estate Dealings
Josh Duggar was once again in the headlines in 2019, this time for allegedly buying land that wasn't available for sale. Josh had reportedly bought land from someone to whom the land didn't actually belong. A man named Carl Echol, who apparently did own the land, claimed that his cousin had sold it illegally and without his blessing. Echol then filed a lawsuit against Josh, who never ended up showing up in court.
Nobody likes their time being wasted, least of all judges, so he was held in contempt of court, and his company was fined.
They Keep Controversial Company, to Say the Least
The Duggar family has often been accused of keeping controversial company. For example, they would regularly invite guest speakers to their family retreat that included more than a couple of polarizing figures. People once took issue with them inviting Michael and Debbie Peal, authors of a book titled, To Train Up A Child. The book advocates for spanking children and pulling their hair when they start acting up or being bad.
The most controversial thing about their book might just be that they advise people to punish toddlers for doing things like biting while they're nursing. They also advocate for "blanket training."
The Kids Are Never Allowed to Raise Their Voices Inside the House
A lot of households have this same rule, so this isn't that much of a surprise, but the Duggar parents apparently demanded that the children never raise their voices in the house. That means no matter how heated an argument got; they were never allowed to raise their voice in frustration or anger. The kids also aren't allowed to raise their voices out of excitement or when playing.
Overall, not raising your voice seems like a pretty reasonable rule, especially in a house filled with 22 people. We're sure that rule was broken on occasion, though.
Jesse Duggar Asked Fans to Send Gift Cards to Her for Her Wedding
When you get married, you usually create a registry so that guests can know what kind of gift to bring to your wedding. A less common practice is asking fans to send gift cards to you when you get married. That's what Jesse Duggar and her husband, Ben, did when the two got married. Some fans were happy and sent them the requested gifts, while others questioned whether it was right for them to do that.
Then again, there were reports that Jesse's father, Jim Bob, was withholding money from the kids, so maybe they really were in need of a couple of bucks to start their lives together.
Jinger's Social Media Giveaway That Never Happened
Jinger Duggar and her husband, Jeremy, have reportedly been a bit erratic when it comes to their behavior on social media platforms. For example, Jinger once deleted a live stream because she said her husband kept interrupting her during the stream. Then, there was the case of the giveaway that never was. Jinger had announced that they'd give two lucky people $4,000 if they followed some pages.
However, the offer was later taken down with not so much as a whisper as to why. It's (probably) not breaking the law, but it is a bit weird.
The Parents Encourage Their Kids to Have Their First Kiss in Private
This one is hardly surprising, especially considering just how conservative their household is. Most of the Duggar children have preferred to kiss in private on their wedding day instead of kissing in public when the words "you may now kiss the bride" are uttered. There have been a couple of exceptions, such as a video that emerged of Josh Duggar kissing his bride in their car right after the ceremony.
However, for the most part, Duggar couples prefer to have their first kiss behind closed doors. And while not kissing at your wedding might sound strange, when you think about the fact that this is their first time ever kissing, it becomes more understandable.
A Family Feud: Jill and Derick Vs. Michelle and Jim Bob
It wasn't long after Derick Dillard was fired from the show that he went public with his feud with Jim Bob Duggar. Derick claimed that the family patriarch was keeping money from the Duggar children that should've been given to them for starring in the show. He even went as far as to threaten that he'd write an expose on the family, exposing all of their secrets. With all of the scandals we know of, we have to wonder what else there might be out there left to learn.
By the time the feud went public, Jim Bob had already lawyered up, although he denied all claims that he was withholding money from the Duggar children.
Josh Duggar's Ashley Madison Incident
Josh Duggar was implicated in having an affair when the large Ashley Madison breach occurred back in 2015. This was before the news had come out about his previous run-ins with the law, so most people were pretty shocked. It also didn't help that before this, he'd been espousing the virtues of religion in family life. Some viewers called him a hypocrite when this broke.
His wife forgave him for cheating, but as stated in a separate item on this post, there was much more going on than just a simple affair, and the whole thing ended up in a lawsuit.